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Home Minister Zahid Hamidi today said that allowing the late Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) leader Chin Peng's ashes back into Malaysia could lead to a memorial being built for him.

NONE "It's not so much about the ashes. We are afraid someone will then build a memorial for him and give him some sort of recognition," Zahid ( right ) told reporters when met outside the Dewan Rakyat today.

The government has so far refused to allow Chin Peng's ashes to be brought back into Malaysia.

The funeral is being held today in Bangkok, Thailand, exactly a week after he passed away at a Bangkok Hospital on Malaysia Day.

"I think we have to be really concerned about the families of armed forces and police veterans, about 6,000 of them, who were victimised by Chin Peng,” Zahid further said.

He said that the feelings of the families of the veterans are more important than “the few” who would support Chin Peng in Malaysia.

However, he said that the government’s fear is not so much about the revival of communism in Malaysia should his ashes be brought back to Malaysia.

'Offered citizenship application forms twice'

Meanwhile, Zahid reiterated that the government had offered citizenship application forms twice to Chin Peng but the forms were never filled up and returned by the latter.

"As such, we don’t respect him," Zahid said.

NONE Zahid refused to comment on former inspector-general of police Rahim Noor's (right) scathing criticism on the government’s decision to bar Chin Peng’s ashes to be brought back into the country.

"I think it's best to ask other IGPs who have been involved in drafting the peace agreement (in 1989). I don’t think Rahim Noor’s comments can be seen as giving recognition to Chin Peng," he added.

Chin Peng's nephew Lee Chung, who organised the wake and funeral in Bangkok, had said on Saturday that there are no intentions to build a memorial for the ex-CPM secretary-general.

Lee told reporters that this is because Chin Peng was a "low profile person".

"He also did not include this in his last wishes," Lee said.

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